Countdown to New Years
by Wolf Blossom
Summary: OneShot. A childhood friend, a countdown proposal… this is something nobody will never forget. SS


**Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everybody!**

**Title: **Countdown to New Years

**Summary:** One-Shot. A childhood friend, a countdown proposal… this is something nobody will never forget.

**Disclaimer: **CLAMP owns CCS.

* * *

The snow fell gently on the heart of Tokyo. The cold winter breeze blew against the soft creamy skin of Chef Kinomoto Sakura. It was around 6pm now and her shift was over, however unfortunately, as it was the night before Christmas, her father had gone to her grandfathers' house in Beijing, her brother was away on business and her friends were all on vacation. 

Tomorrow was December 25th, and 6 days after was New Years. Sakura's long time friend and business tycoon, Li Syaoran was coming from Paris to host a get together in his huge mansion in the heart of Tokyo.

23 year old Kinomoto Sakura was the understudy chef at Blue Lotus, which Syaoran owns. The head office of Blue Lotus was located at Hong Kong where currently Fanran and Sheifa Li were looking after.

Sakura clutched her chefs' hat as she battled against the wind to get back to her apartment. Snow started falling not shortly after she stepped onto the main street. Syaoran was supposed to arrive at Tokyo tomorrow and Sakura was to fetch him from the airport… well not fetch but see him from the airport to his grand mansion.

If Sakura had some cash on hand, she would've whistled a taxi over but that too she did not have. She closed her eyes as the wind picked up and snow started flying at her face, some flakes resting on her eyelids. She used her hat to dust off her face before walking again. She stopped at a traffic light and turned the direction the wind was blowing, so the snow wouldn't hit her face…which is when she saw a Black Nissan Skyline. The car stopped right beside her and the passenger window rolled down.

"Care for a ride?" came a familiar voice. Sakura's eyes widened as she saw her closest of friends, Li Syaoran, at the steering of the car. She blinked a few times before he rasied a brow. "Sakura, you in or not?"

"Uh… yeah!" She said hastily as she ran towards the passengers' seat and sat in. She gave a sigh of content as she entered the warm and chocolate scented car.

"You're walking home… in this weather?" Syaoran said as the light turned green. He hit the gas pedal and his car zoomed off towards… well Sakura didn't know where but it was someplace warm that's for sure!

"Yeah well… Otou-san is in Beijing, Onii-chan is away for business with Yuki-kun. Tomoyo and Eriol went to visit his grandparents in Florida. Chiharu and Takashi went to visit her mom in Vietnam. Rika, Jamie, Naoko and Mika are all in Puerto Rico, bathing in the sun. They're ALL coming back next week for your New Years party."

Sakura stopped midway and turned to Syaoran. "Speaking of which, you were supposed to come tomorrow from Paris, not today. And I was supposed to pick you up from the airport."

Syaoran chuckled. "About that, my board of directors decided that I needed a break. In the past two months, I've been in Venice, Paris, London, Montreal, Korea and Thailand. They decided to let me go a day early and keep me away for a week longer."

Sakura squealed as she hugged Syaoran at a red light. Syaoran chuckled as a blush crept onto his cheeks. The light turned green and Syaoran started driving again. Sakura stared out the window, watching the street lights fly by.

"How's Blue Lotus doing?" Syaoran asked. Blue Lotus Tokyo was their main restaurant and it was the one that mattered the most.

Sakura grinned. "Hotaru is changing locations which means I'm head chef. And the restaurant is doing fine, except a few complaints here and there but its nothing our staff can't fix… and people LOVE the Blue Lotus theme. Remember we wanted to try lilies?"

Syaoran chuckled and nodded. "Yeah well, we had a poll and everything and people wanted the Blue Lotus theme to remain."

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "As if I'd let Blue Lotus change to Violet Lilies."

Sakura rolled HER eyes. "You wouldn't believe how many votes Violet Lilies got. Blue Lotus won by 3 votes."

Syaoran grinned. "Those three votes were Sheifa, Fanran and me." Sakura's eyes widened. "Really?"

Syaoran nodded. "Yeah."

"I moved out though… two months ago, just around the time you left for business."

"On your own now, eh?" He grinned. "My little baby Sakura is all grown up."

"Oh hush up!"

Sakura finally furrowed her brows as she saw him pull up to a huge mansion. "Uh… where are we?"

"My place," he said simply, "you didn't bother giving me your address so I thought I'd bring you here."

Sakura paused for a few moments before…

"LI SYAORAN TAKE ME HOME THIS INSTANT! TOMORROW IS CHRISTMAS AND MY DOG NEEDS TO EAT!"

"Kero has enough to eat woman! Give him any more food and he'll expand and take over the world."

"For a 25 year old, you do know how to make fun of a little puppy."

Syaoran had an incredulous look on his face. "PUPPY? Your dog is ANCIENT! I swear Pharaoh Remises had Kero as a pet."

"KERO-CHAN IS NOT OLD!" Sakura pouted.

"Fine, fine… want to go home then?" Syaoran asked.

"Yes please."

"Address my love," He said jokingly. Sakura glared at him but a blush unknown to her crept onto her cheeks. Syaoran was always a friend and he was never anything more.

"51 Clow Avenue, building number 7, flat number 13."

"Flat," Syaoran whistled low, "sexy."

"Shut up and drive me there. You must be tired from flying from Paris to Japan, so hurry, drop me and go home and SLEEP!" Sakura said in a very motherly tone.

"Yes dear," Syaoran said dryly as he drove his childhood friend back to her apartment.

* * *

It was now December 25th Christmas Day, and Sakura thought it'd be a good idea to cook breakfast for her friend. Everybody was out in another part of the world today so Sakura only had Syaoran. She called up a taxi and went to Syaoran's mansion. Instantly, the guards recognized her as the girl who yelled at him last night and let her in right away. Sakura giggled as she held onto the package. 

"Where is Xiao Lang's bedroom?" She asked Wei, a much respected butler whom she's known for the longest time.

"Second floor, mahogany door."

Sakura nodded and ran upstairs to greet her friend. So he was two years older than her, they were the closest out of the entire group.

She creaked open the door to find him sleeping soundly on the bed. His hair poked out of his blanket and his legs falling over the side of the bed. She shook her head as she made it towards him and poked his belly.

"Mou… Syao-kun," she pouted, "wake up! I have breakfast…."

"Mmmmhmnnhm… Sakura…." He moaned as his hands snaked up and grabbed Sakura before pulling her down beside him. Sakura, in her haste, dropped the breakfast and shrieked.

"AIE!"

Even still Syaoran didn't wake.

Sakura poked him a few times more but he didn't awake. Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath… "FIREEEEEE!" She shrieked and Syaoran jumped awake.

"WHAT?"

Sakura giggled as she wiggled away from him. "Kidding," she smiled innocently. "You just wouldn't wake up and you some how…" Sakura made hand gestures, "grabbed me in your sleep."

Syaoran blushed as he sat up and rubbed his face. Sakura turned around and picked up the breakfast box. She placed it on his night stand and started to walk out. "Special breakfast, by Chef Sakura… and Syaoran,"

"Yeah?" he said as he poked the box.

"Put on your pants…"

* * *

Sakura was wearing beige stylish pants with a baby pink turtle neck sweater. She had pink and black phatfarm shoes on along with a black scarf and a burette of some sorts. She had on black heel boots along with velvety black gloves. 

Syaoran had on baggy black jeans, Nike converse runners and a white full sleeved shirt with a black silk button up over top. He had a brown blazer on and his hair was in its unique messy shape, as always.

"Since we're alone," he smirked as they got into his Skyline, "in the heart of Tokyo," Sakura fastened her seat belt, "in the middle of Christmas," Syaoran started the car, "wanna joyride like we did when we were teens?"

Sakura stopped messing with her gloves and stared at Syaoran, giving him an impossible look.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me right," he smirked, "joy ride."

"Um… NO!" she shreiekd.

"Oh come on!" He pressed, "It'll be fun! Besides, the police are probably all off the roads."

"Who says?"

"It's Christmas, ne?"

Sakura scowled. "No, no and NO!"

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "You're no fun,"

"Of course, now let's go." Sakura said as she pulled her gloves back on.

"Uh, where?" Syaoran stated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Anywhere, let's just drive."

"Joy riding," Syaoran said hopefully.

"No."

"Damn you!" Syaoran said as he pulled out of his driveway.

The two of them drove and drove and drove in complete and utter silence. Ever since they were younger, Sakura was completely and hopelessly in love with him. He however, never gave her a look back. She looked over at him and hid a blush. Over the years, she was able to hide her feelings more accurately and even at times, she doubted that she ever loved him.

However sitting in a car with him on Christmas day brought back old feelings. Sakura closed her eyes and remembered the day he left to go on business… two months ago…

"_I have to write the report Sakura! We need to know how Blue Lotus in foreign countries are doing!" Syaoran argued._

"_Couldn't you do it after Syaoran? I'm moving and I need all the help I can get." Sakura pushed._

"_No I can't!" He said rubbing his face. "The flight is fixed; Irojiya-san is going to wait for me in France late tomorrow evening."_

"_But…"_

"_No buts Sakura,"_

"_Syaoran…" Sakura said helplessly._

_Syaoran said nothing as he continued to pack his stuff._

"_Fine at least hear me out!" Sakura said, giving up trying to keep him to stay._

_Syaoran glanced up at her before going back to packing his stuff._

_Sakura gulped._

"_Ever since," she said carefully, "I was young… since we were young, we were close, hai?"_

_Syaoran looked at her again, nodding._

"_And well… everybody said we were the closest from the entire group, hai?"_

_Syaoran nodded again._

"_Well… what I'm trying to say is…"_

_Syaoran sighed as he stood up. "Say what Sakura?"_

_Sakura glared at him. "Oh right, totally become a piss of when I'm trying to say how I feel!"_

"_Feel what?" He said, his temper rising, "You care about YOU, not about ANYBODY else! You want me to stay here to help you move, you do not CARE about Blue Lotus."_

"_I'm Chef AT Blue Lotus in case you've forgotten," Sakura snapped irately._

"_Forget it," Sakura murmured, "who wants to tell a piss off that I love him anyway." _

_With those few words spoken, Sakura left his room and never saw him off at the airport._

Over the next two months, the two forgot about their argument. Syaoran however heard her say that but made no comment. He was mad at her and she was mad at him, the end. He had called her up last week and asked her to pick him up at the airport and she agreed right away.

The fight seemed over, which was a good thing.

"Wake up!" Syaoran nudged the girl. Sakura snapped her eyes open. "I wasn't sleeping!" She defended, "So where are we?"

Syaoran pointed to a park, untouched, in virgin snow. Sakura's eyes widened as she saw the glistening snow on the slide, the swings, on the climbing towers…the ground had no footprints at all.

"Oh my…" She breathed, admiring the beauty.

Syaoran smiled sleekly, "A beauty, for somebody just as beautiful."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Oh and who's that?"

"You," He said softly. Sakura stared at him, her heartbeat accelerating.

'Ok.., major unSyaoran right there!' she thought as she stared into his intense amber eyes.

"What… what're you doing?" She asked.

Syaoran shook his head. "Oh nothing," he said as he opened his door. "Come, join me!"

Sakura gave him one last look before getting out of the car. They both stood side by side at the end of the parking lot.

"At the count of three," Syaoran said.

"One," Sakura started,

"Two," he continued,

"THREE!" They both said as they both jumped into the park, making the first steps in the virgin snow.

And for… 20 minutes, the two of them had fun in the virgin park snow… which soon became filled with footprints and snow angels.

* * *

That evening, Syaoran had a gourmet home cooked meal for Sakura and her dog, Kero. Kero ate his kibbles as Sakura enjoyed succulent shrimp, tender chicken breast, crisp vegetables, and soft rice. She and Syaoran had a candle lit dinner that night on Christmas day. 

"Night," Sakura whispered as her door step. Syaoran hugged her, pressing her close against his body.

"Night," he murmured as he left…

Sakura stared at the closed door.

"Kero," She murmured. The dog barked…

"He did it again."

Kero tilted his head as he stared up at his mistress.

"He made me fall in love with him… again… and this time," Sakura breathed in slowly, "there's no turning back."

* * *

It was December 31st now and EVERYBODY was gathered at Syaoran's mansion. Sakura's dog, Kero and Tomoyo's dog, Spinal were there too. Tomoyo and her husband Eriol, Chiharu and her fiancé Takashi, Rika and Naoko and their boyfriends, Jamie and Mika, Touya, Yukito, Fujitaka, and of course Syaoran and Sakura were there. A small get together. 

"How're you guys?" Syaoran asked. They all arrived late last night and had their rest needed.

"Fine, fine," Fujitaka said, "growing old. I'm waiting to see Sakura give me grandchildren, seeing as it's deemed impossible for Touya."

Touya shrugged. "Nakuru scares me, I'm sorry."

"There's Kaho," Sakura pointed out.

"She's old." Touya scrunched his face.

"Go gay why don't ya!" Jamie rolled his eyes.

Touya tapped his chin, "Not a bad idea…" but he swallowed his words as Sakura threw a cushion at his head.

"Oh shut up." She rolled her eyes.

Tomoyo squealed as she videotaped the whole escapade.

"So what're your new years resolutions?" Yukito asked.

"To get Tomoyo pregnant," Eriol said.

"To **get** pregnant." Tomoyo grinned mischievously.

The gang laughed.

Slowly they all revealed their new year's resolutions. However Syaoran didn't say his. Sakura's was to become the best chef Blue Lotus has ever seen.

"You'll see," Syaoran grinned as the clock read 11:59pm.

"A minute left," he said. Sakura squealed in excitement but Syaoran stood up.

"Sakura, we need to talk before it's 2006."

Sakura looked confused as she stood up and left with Syaoran.

"WAI! He's gonna DO IT!" Tomoyo grinned as they craned their neck to see the couple headed towards the main floor balcony.

"Yeah?" Sakura asked.

"Remember when I left?"

Sakura nodded.

"And you told me…"

Sakura closed her eyes. "That I loved you?"

"Yeah," Syaoran said softly…

Sakura stared into his eyes, her emerald pools brimming with tears.

"Well… about that…"

"You don't… have to tell me…"

"**TEN!"**

"But I do…" Syaoran said quietly as he heard the gang count down.

"YOU TWO! GET HERE!" Eriol shouted.

"SHUT UP!" Tomoyo slapped his head.

"**NINE!"**

"Tell me what?" Sakura said, staring into his deep eyes.

"How…"

"**EIGHT!"**

"How… every time I'm near you, my heart goes onto accelerated speed mode, how every time you smile, my entire world lights up… how when you're near me, I feel complete."

"**SEVEN!"**

"My year years resolution was to tell somebody how I feel about them."

"**SIX!"**

"How I want to be near them,"

"**FIVE!"**

"How much I love them…"

"**FOUR!"**

"How much I need them…"

"**THREE!"**

"I want to start the new year with something special," Syaoran went down on one knee. "I love you Sakura,"

"**TWO!"**

"Will you marry me?"

Sakura had tears in her eyes.

"**ONE!"**

"Yes,"

"**HAPPY NEW YEAR!"**

* * *

**Meh… I ended it there… big deal! MERRY XMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!**

**Lub,**

**Sakura**


End file.
